Car-fender.



Patented Sept. 4, I900.

R. F. PREUSSER.

GAR FENDER.

(Application filad Nov. 20, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

q 1 No I i e E 1 I N i a a; a

INVENTORI HIS ATTORNEY.

ma NORRIS psrzns cc, PHQTG-LITHO., wasnmmom u. c

No. 657,l80. Patented Sept. 4, I900.

B. F. PREUSSER.

GAR FENDER.

(Application medmw. 20, 1899.) I (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W M/W a I N VENTOR I I fiwardffiewwzg HIS ATTORNEY.

No. 657,580. I Patented Sept. 4,1900. 3. F. PHEUSSEB.

CAR FENDER.

. (Application filed Nov. 20, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Shaeta$heet 3.

E N g\\ INVENTOR.

HIS ATTORNEY.

lharrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD F. PREUSSER, OF WVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 657,180, dated September 4, 1900. Application filed November 20, 1899. Serial No. 737,661. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, RICHARD F. PREUSSER, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vashington,in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Fenders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object is to present a car-fender which shall be light and simple of construction, capable of attachment to and detachment from cars of the general construction, and which when not in use may be folded backagainst the dashboard of the car, and thus be out of the way of the coupler. Furthermore, to pre sent a combined fender and wheel-guard, the two devices being connected in such manner as to be adapted at the same time and with rapidity, ease, and certainty of operation to be brought into position for use.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a combined fender and wheel-guard, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a view in perspective displaying the front portion of a streetcar equipped with the devices. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation, partly in section, displaying the connection between the parts of the two devices, the section being taken to one side of the fender. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, the section being taken through the fender. Fig. at is a detached detail View of a form of fender-hanger, showing one manner in which the fendenarms are supported. Fig. 5 is a similar View showing another manner inwhich thefender-armsaresupported. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing one of the plates for reinforcing the scoop-bars. Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view of the tender and wheel-guard operating rock-shaft.

'Referringto the drawings, A designates the fender, and B the wheel-guard.

The fender-frame is constructed of two arms or side pieces reconnected and rendered rigid by cross-bars a a and a the bar a being by preference solid and the bars a and a tubular, although, if preferred, the front bar may also be made tubular. Each fender-arm is formed with a base portion that is practically straight and in use hangs approximately parallel with the track, with an intermediate curved portion lying at about right angles to the base portion and with a rearward compound-curved portion terminating in a hook 6L5, the arm as a whole being gradually reduced in cross diameter from the base portion to the hook portion in order to reduce its weight. \Vhile the general shape of the arm here shown is that which will usually be preferred, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to this precise manner of construction, as other designs may be employed without departing from the spirit thereof.

The scoop is constructed, preferably, of a series of resilient metallic strips a, secured in any suitable manner to the bars a and (t and in order that the front bar may be braced against bending or buckling, as from contact with obstructions, brace plates or bars a" are employed, the same being provided with recesses in which rest the bars a a and (L as shown in Fig. 6, the recesses for the bars a and a being in the ends of the plates and those for the bar a being in the under side of the plates. It is to be understood, however, that instead of employing recesses for the purpose described the plates may be provided with openings to be engaged by the bars.

To limit the downward movement of the fender and at the same time to prevent injury that would occur by the fender-scoop coming into contact with the road-bed, the bar a is provided with rollers designed to contact with the road-bed.

The net a may be made of any suitable material, in this instance of connected links or of links and plates, the net being connected I at its bottom to the bar a and at its sides to chains a At its upper side the net is connected to a top bar at, having its ends bent upon themselves to form loops 0., in which the upper links of the chains a are confined, and then at right angles to such loops to form pintles a by which the fender is held in 0perative position, as will presently appear.

As a means for supporting the fender in position for operation two hangers C are employed, these being securely bolted to the under side of the car-floor, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The hangers are by preference cast or otherwise formed of a single piece of metal, presenting a structure having two side plates 0 and a top plate 0 the space between the two side plates forming a recess or guide, between which works the rear portion of the fender-arms a, as shown in Fig. 4. Pivoted between the hangers are brackets 0 having on one side, preferably the inner side, apertured lugs or bosses 0 in which fit the pintles c1 of the top bar a, the brackets being extended upward beyond the lugs to present stops or abutments 0 against which bear the loops of the top bar a, so that strain is thus largely removed from the pintles. The brackets are adapted for movement in a circumscribed arc, their rearward movement being limited by the outer walls of the hangers and their forward movement being limited by stops 0 between the plates of the hangers, the brackets being provided at their lower portions with toes or projections c to engage with the stops. Instead of mounting the brackets between the plates 0 of the hangers, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, these may be mounted on the sides of the hangers, as shown in Fig. 5, the stops 0 being then on the sides of the former. While the brackets are shown in Fig. 5 on the inner side of the hangers, it is to be understood that they may be mounted on the outer side, it being immaterial at which of the three points named the brackets are located, or they may be in somewhat different situation, higher or lower, with corresponding adaptation of coactive parts.

Passing through each hanger are three pins or rods 0 c and 0 The pins 0 are designed to be engaged by the hooks a of the fenderarms when the fender is folded back against the dashboard D, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, a hook d, depending from the dashboard, being provided for the purpose of holding the fender raised, and the pins 0 serve to support the brackets 0 The pins 0 bear friction-rollers c ,to be engaged by the curved upper surface of the rear portion of the fender-arms, whereby to reduce friction between these parts to a minimum when the fender is to be dropped or depressed by mechanism to be described farther on. In addition to the functions stated these pins serve to connect the side plates of the hangers and brace and hold them against spreading, so that the hangers may be made lighter than would be possible if the plates were not so connected.

Upon the rear portion of the fender-arms are arranged coiled springs a, the outer coils being secured to the arms by being passed through openings a, provided for the purpose, and then upset or riveted. The inner coils of the springs bear against the outer walls of the hangers and exert sufficient thrust to hold the fender the proper distance above the track-rails. These springs are here shown as cone-shaped, withthe apices disposed toward the front of the fender; but it is to be understood that they may be plain coiled. If desired, washers may be interposed between the inner coils of the springs and the outer walls of the hangers.

The arms are normally out of contact with the pins a the fender being supported at its rear by the pins 0 and at its front by the chains at these chains serving to keep the fender-arms positively out of contact with the pins 0 so that the arms canfreely ride against the rollers o By this arrangement the only points of frictional contact between the arms and their supports are where the rollers a bear, and as by the arrangement shown such contact is reduced to a minimum it follows that when the fender is to he dropped it will only be necessary to overcome the resistance of the springs a, and these being only of requisite tension to hold the fender raised there will be but slight power required to bring the fender to operative position. The fender being thus resiliently supported will operate to obviate injury to any person falling upon it and will thus prove an effective life-saver.

Supported in hangers E, secured to the under side of the car-floor, is a transverse shaft 6, which carries two levers e secured to the under side of the shaft and inclining downward and forward toward the front of the fender, and two levers 6 which are secured to the upper side of the shaft and incline upward and rearward away from the fender, the two pairs of levers being set on the shaft at such distance apart as to bring them into alinement for proper connection with the fender and the Wheel-guard. The shaft e is by preference rectangular in cross-section and has its ends formed into pintles to work in bearings formed in the hangers E. To the lower portion of each lever e is secured one end of a chain co the otherends of which are connected with hook-plates a", (clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3,) preferably by snap-hooks. The hooks 0. of the plates are arranged at the front and hook over the bar ((9, movable rings a being provided for manipulating the plates, the rings being adapted normally to lie practically flush with the upper surface of the scoop, thus to obviate the presentation of obstructions that might cause injury to a person caught by the fender. The rear portions of the plates work in guides a secured in any manner to the fender-frame, preferably to the bar (t and operating also to keep them from accidental separation from the fender on rearward movement by their hooks engaging the bar at and on forward movement by pins of, which engage the rear faces of the guides.

To the upper ends of the levers e are pivotally connected links (Z, the free ends of which are pivotally connected to the side arms 1) of the wheel-guard B. This guard comprises two cross-bars b b, the former of which is mounted in bearings formed in brackets b suitably supported from the car, both the bars 5 and b being secured in any preferred manner to the side arms Z1 The bars are connected, preferably, by resilient metallic strips Z1 formed in the scoop, although other materials may be employed in lieu of the strips.

It will be observed that the upper and longer portion of the side arms 5 are curved or inclined away from the bar 19 which constitutes the pivotal point of the guard, so that the bulk of the weight of these arms being to one side of the bar b these arms will act adjunctively with the springs to on the fender to keep the guard at the proper distance above the track.

Secured to the shaft e is an arm 6 the free end of which is provided with a slot in which works the lower end of a foot-lever F, the upper end of this lever projecting above the floor of the car adjacent to the dashboard and having a head f, by which the lever may be depressed. Journaled on this foot-lever above the arm are two friction-rollers f one only being shown, which bear upon the arm on each side of the slot, and below the arm is a stop-pin f which serves to hold the arm from separation from the lever.

In bringing the fender into position for use when the same is folded up the hook d is thrown out of engagement with the rod (6 thereby allowing the fender to drop, and the hooks of the plate a are brought into engagement with the bar a thereby drawing the fender downward toward the track against the tension of the springs a and at the same time lifting the wheel-guard the proper distance above the track. The device is now in condition for use, and to project both the fender and the wheel-guard downward when it is desired to pick up an object on the track it will only be necessary to press down on the foot-lever, thereby to rock the shaft 6 and through the reverse movements of the levers e e to draw, respectively, upon the chains a and links I), and thus project the fender and wheel-guard downward with great rapidity. Upon release of the foot-lever the springs a will cause the parts automatically to resume their initial operative position. It is to be understood that the shaft 6, wheel-guard B, and their coacting mechanisms are duplicated at the opposite end of the car, so that to shift the fender from one end of a car to the other it will only be necessaryto unhook the chains a, as by releasing the snap-hooks, from the hook-plates a" and secure the ends of the chain a to hooks a on the under part of the car, so as to hold the wheel-guard above the track, then turn the fender up to remove the fendenarms from the hanger, and then lift the pintles of the top bar a free from the bosses 0*. To mount the fender in position, the reverse operations to those just described will be observed.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination with a car, of hangers carried thereby, a resiliently-supported fender having arms working in the hangers, the end of each arm terminating in a hook, a friction-roller carried by each hanger against which the upper surface of each arm bears, and a pin below each roller, adapted to be engaged by the hooks on the fender-arm, whereby to constitute a hingelike joint, when the fender is turned back, the fender-arms being normally out of contact with the pin, whereby to reduce friction and cause the fender to be readily responsive to its depressing mech anism, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a car, of hangers carried thereby, a resiliently-supported fender having arms working in the hangers, the end of each arm terminating in a hook, a friction-roller carried by each hanger, against which the upper surface of each arm bears, a pin below each roller, adapted to be engaged by the hooks on the fender-arm, whereby to constitute a hinge-like joint when the fender is turned back, and means for keeping the fender-arms out of contact with the pins, substantially {ts-described.

3. The combination with a car, of hangers carried thereby, a resiliently-supported fender having arms working in the hangers, the end of each arm terminating in a hook, a friction-roller carried by each hanger, against which the upper surface of each arm bears, a pin below each roller adapted to be engaged by the hooks on the fender-arms,whereby to constitute a hinge-like joint when the fender is turned back, pivoted brackets carried by the hangers, a top bar supported by the brackets, a net connecting the top bar and a fixed part of the fender, and chains connecting the topbar and the fender-frame, the chains and top bar serving to support the fender, and the chains serving also to keep the fender-arms out of contact with said pins, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a car, of hangers carried thereby, a resiliently-supported fender having arms working in the hangers, the end of each arm terminating in a hook, a friction-roller carried by each hanger, against which the upper surface of each arm bears, a pin below each roller adapted to be engaged by the hooks on the fender-arm, whereby to constitute a hinge-like joint, when the fenderis turned back, the fender-arms being kept, at all times, out of contact with the pins, to reduce friction, and cause the fender to be readily responsive to its depressing mechanism, and springs carried by the tender-arms and bearing against the hangers, substantially as described.

' 5. The combination with a car, of hangers carried thereby, a resiliently-supported fender having arms working in the hangers, the end of each arm terminating in a hook, a

ISO

friction-roller carried by each hanger, against which the upper surface of each arm bears, a pin below each roller adapted to be engaged by the hooks on the fender-arms,whereby to constitute a hinge-like joint when the fender is turned back, pivoted brackets carried by the hangers, a top bar supported by the brackets, a net connecting the top bar and a fixed part of the fender, chains connecting the top bar and the fender-frame, the

chains and the top bar serving to support the fender, and the chains serving, also, to keep the fender-arms out of contact with said pins, a wheel-guard having its arms projected to the rear of their pivotal points, a rock-shaft journaled intermediate of the fender and the wheel-guard, two downward and forward projecting levers carried by the shaft, and connections between the levers and the fenders, two upward and rearward projecting levers also carried by the shaft, links connecting the latter levers with the arms of the wheelguard, a slotted arm carried by the shaft, a foot-lever projecting above the car-floor and having its lower end working in the said slot, friction-rollers carried by the foot-lever and bearing upon the said slotted arm, and a pin for keeping the lever in operative position, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a car, of hangers carried thereby, a resiliently-supported fender-frame having arms working in the hangers, the end of each arm terminating in a hook,

a friction-roller carried by each hanger,-

against which the upper surface of each hanger bears, a pin below each roller adapted to be engaged by the hook on the fender-arm to constitute a hinge-like joint when the fender is turned back, pivoted brackets carried by the hangers, the brackets being provided with a toe or the like for engaging stops on the hangers, whereby to limit their range of movement in one direction, a top bar supported by the brackets, a net connecting the top bar-and a fixed part of the fender, chains connecting the top bar and the fender-frame, the chains and the top barserving to support the fender, and the chains serving further, to keep the fender-arms out of contact with the said pins, a wheel-guard having its arms projected to the rear of their pivotal points, a rock-shaft journaled intermediate of the fender and the Wheel-guard, two downward and forward projectinglevers carried by the shaft, chains connecting with the said levers and having their free ends provided with hookbearing plates, the hooks of which engage a fixed part of the fender, guides on the fender in which the said plates are held, two upward and rearward projecting levers also carried by the shaft, links connecting the latter levers with the arms of the wheel-guard, a slotted arm carried by the shaft, a foot-lever projecting above the car-floor and havingits lower end working in the said slot, frictionrollers carried by the foot-lever and bearing upon the slotted arm, and a pin for keeping the lever in operative position, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a rock-shaft carrying levers and a fender having a scoop constructed substantially as described, of chains connecting with the levers, and means for attaching the chains to the fender, said means comprising plates carrying hooks to engage with a bar of the scoop, the plates conforming to the curve of the scoop-bottom, and rings by which the hooks maybe moved out of engagement with the said bar, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aifiX my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- RICHARD F. PREUSSER- Witnesses:

R. G. DYRENFORTH, R. M. ELLIOTT. 

